Cork in the final

lukin

We left it late just like in the Waterford game but a win is a win. I can understand why Clare fans are distraught, they really didn't deserve to lose.
Cork will have to improve drastically if they want to retain the McCarthy Cup, playing well for the last twenty minutes and average for the remainder won't do against Kilkenny or Galway.
Allen was ruthless enough to substitute two of our talismans (Curran and Corcoran) when they weren't playing up to standard and lucky enough to have two players in reserve of such calibre (Ronan and Sherlock).
I don't know whether to be glad that we can win despite playing badly or worried that we still don't seem to be able to hurl for a full seventy minutes.

zenith

As a Cork fan, just let me say: there was no pleasure in clawing back from the brink with Clare today. Your day will come - you're now officially my second team: balls and brains.

Flukey

As a Dubliner, I am a neutral (although I wanted Clare to win ) and it was a great match. Clare didn't deserve to lose and even some of the Cork staff and players said it afterwards. There was a great atmosphere in there and it was a joy to be there.

The first match, the Chrisy Ring Cup Final between Westmeath and Down, was a cracker too. It is wrong that only Westmeath as winners are allowed in to compete for the Liam McCarthy Cup next year. Both teams scored some scores there that any of the big powers would be proud of. They are still a little bit off the very top teams, but both, and indeed some others, should be allowed to compete for the McCarthy Cup if they so wish.

Coming back to the McCarthy Cup; Galway have already knocked out one of the big 3. Let's hope they can take the second of them next Sunday and then make a complete set on the 11th of September.

lukin

Flukey wrote:

Coming back to the McCarthy Cup; Galway have already knocked out one of the big 3. Let's hope they can take the second of them next Sunday and then make a complete set on the 11th of September.

I don't obviously! (well not the last part anyway).
Most neutrals will groan if it's another clash of the big two in the final, I agree that the game would benefit more from a Clare/Galway final. Only one of those two can make the final now and I hope it's Galway, if for no other reason that I would rather lose to Galway than Kilkenny in the final.
(Sorry Cat's fans!)

KevIRL

Flukey wrote:

The first match, the Chrisy Ring Cup Final between Westmeath and Down, was a cracker too. It is wrong that only Westmeath as winners are allowed in to compete for the Liam McCarthy Cup next year. Both teams scored some scores there that any of the big powers would be proud of. They are still a little bit off the very top teams, but both, and indeed some others, should be allowed to compete for the McCarthy Cup if they so wish.

.

Agree that the match was a cracker, but disagree that both should be in the McCarthy Cup. The promotion/relegation system is what will keep the Ring Cup and the bottom of the McCarthy Cup very competitive over the next few years and help to build up the weaker counties. Westmeath must be thrilled to bits. They will have a minimum of 4 Senior All Ireland Championship matches next year. Something they've never had before. Also there is no certainty that they are gonna go straight back down as they will feel capable next year of beating any of Dublin, Laois and at stretch Offaly on a given day.

As for the Ring Cup, after todays final watch every team in that competion do everythign possible to up in Croker next year and live on the TV and promotion to the McCarthy Cup. What an incentive all that is!

The only negative I see is that no Ulster team will be in the McCarthy Cup next year. A disaster year for Ulster hurling with Antrim being relegated to the Ring cup, Down not getting promotion as expected and also Derry getting relegated to the Rackard Cup.

A final note - best of luck to the hurlers of Louth and London who will contest the final of the Nicky Rackard cup next weekend in Croke Park* (*I Think)

brettmirl

Yeah they are in Croke Park next weekend.

Anyone have any idea who Davey Fitz went mental at after the final whistle? The RTE cameras panned away from him as he looked like he was going to deck someone.

I did feel sorry for Clare after todays game, but they put too many balls wide of the post.

I'm a Kilkenny man, but nervous ahead of the Galway game after our performance against Limerick.

Cork have not dazzled this year like they did last. Sean Og was brilliant as always and Ben O'Connor really shone through when it was needed.

If we do manage to make the final with Cork, we will have a very tough game on our hands.

KevIRL

mick_irl wrote:

Yeah they are in Croke Park next weekend.

Delighted to hear that. The most sensible comment I heard from the 'No to opening Croke Park to soccer and rugby' campaign came from a Louth hurler who had played 14 years of senior hurling for his county in the wastelands of division 3 and 4. He said why should Croke Park be open to soccer players and Rugby players when its not open to me and I'm a member of the organisation that owns it.
Good to see them gettin their chance.

brettmirl

Teams who have slogged through the knock-out stages deserve their day out in Croker but will the Louth and London supporters travel for the match?

The GAA really have to take each game on its merits. For example, in the Football, making Cork Vs Kerry travel to Dublin is, in my opinion, mad. It's an all Munster affair - why not have it in Thurles/Limerick? It wont be anywhere near a sell out in Croker!

KevIRL

mick_irl wrote:

Teams who have slogged through the knock-out stages deserve their day out in Croker but will the Louth and London supporters travel for the match?

!

I imagine there will be a few Louth fans there alright. But not lots. Still though these guys deserve their day in the sun. they also deserve to be playing hurling when it should be played - in the summer months June, July and August.

brettmirl

I am not saying that they dont deserve their day in GAA HQ.

It's a final after all.

My point is that the GAA seem to be fixing a huge amount of games in Croke Park lately to make some money.

Cork Vs Kerry in the football wont sell out Croke Park - the fans simply wont travel that far whereas they might to Thurles or Limerick.

KevIRL

mick_irl wrote:

I am not saying that they dont deserve their day in GAA HQ.



Cork Vs Kerry in the football wont sell out Croke Park - the fans simply wont travel that far whereas they might to Thurles or Limerick.

Yeah, agree with you there alright. Likewise the Munster Hurling Final should be in Thurles every year regardless of who's involved. Avoid a repeat of the dangerous overcrowding in Cork this year.

jank

Anyone have any idea who Davey Fitz went mental at after the final whistle? The RTE cameras panned away from him as he looked like he was going to deck someone.

He is a twat imo

Cork got out of jail but they are in the final, not Clare. Its been a strange summer for the rebels. Sometimes brilliant, sometimes ****e. If they can pull out a 70 min performance they will win the Liam McCarthy cup.

Hopefully the opposition will be galway

Flukey

Davy is a great keeper and a passionate player. He was just disgusted at losing, as all the Clare players were, and he showed his emotions more than once.

I still think there should be more flexibility in the teams that can compete in the three Hurling Cups. As was said, we have no Ulster team now in the McCarthy Cup next year, a sort of double-blow to Ulster Hurling. Down and Westmeath aren't going to challenge for the big honours, but they deserve the choice of being able to do so. If, as likely, they go out early in the championship they could still be allowed to come into the Christy Ring Cup and join teams choosing to compete in it from scratch, as teams eliminated early in the football can go into the Tommy Murphy Cup.

I am in favour of the Ring and Rackard Cups, but just think the teams themselves should have more say into whether they can compete or not. You could have several much improved teams through the Christy Ring Cup, but only one being allowed up could be counter-productive. The scenes after Westmeath's win were marvellous and it is great that they can play for the Liam McCarthy next year, but I think it is hard on Down who put up a great show, but have no reward for it. A one up, one down system isn't the best way to encourage teams.

KnowItAll

Cork showed their mental toughness today. I don't think Cork were that bad today (although they were bad), I'd give Clare credit for playing to their strengths and a draw would have been a fair result.

If Clare had fowards who could score they would have won easy people say, but by playing fowards who can defend from the front and put pressure on the Cork backs, Clare dominated the game until they ran out of gas.

GreenHell

The 15 that walked off that pitch yesterday for us should be starting in the final, should have been the same yesterday. That was the best fight back I've seen in the long time.

solice

It was a fantastic game. At the end of the first half all i wanted to do was cry (terrified) at the end of the second half all i wanted to do was cry (joy!)

I felt sorry for clare, they didnt deserve to go out like that, they put up a massive fight and cork people are scared now! Is that a team that can win an all ireland? Im thinking not without a miracle. But the match yesterday was just the wake up call that cork needed.

As for the Cork v kerry game. Yes i think it should be played in Thurles. Yesterday for the semi final there was 50,596 (?) people there. it was a semi final! Thurles can hold 55000. Its asking alot of both supporters to travel up all the way.

From Cork:
Train = 56.50 (if driving, petrol is so bloody expensive at the mo)
Ticket = 40
so before u even get to dublin u have spent the bones of 100. Add in the cost of food and drink when u are there. It is an expensive day out and a long drive!

Its more expensive coming from kerry.

Yeah sure you can say that you cant put a price on all ireland glory but for cork supporters after playing 3 matches in croker this year already, 2 more definite matches (hurling final and football semi) and 1 possible match (football final), its bloody expensive!

GreenHell

I think we'll pull it off again this year, not a bother we're an very hard team to put away and there is still a hunger there. I just hope they stick with the team that finished yesterday. If I see Timmy! in the starting 15 again I'll cry.

jank

Its going to be a major talking point now over the next weeks. Who is going to start the final. I think Brain Corcernen will start but no way should timmy be in that starting 15. It will be interesting to say the least.

The Rooster

mick_irl wrote:

The GAA really have to take each game on its merits. For example, in the Football, making Cork Vs Kerry travel to Dublin is, in my opinion, mad. It's an all Munster affair - why not have it in Thurles/Limerick? It wont be anywhere near a sell out in Croker!

Its probably because corporate box holders and premium seat holders are guaranteed 2 football semi-finals each year.
If it happened to be a draw, there's no question the replay would be in Munster.

ClareBear

What a match! I had about 10 heart attacks in that 70 minutes. What a come back. I felt very sorry for Clare (except Davy Fitz...who I just love to see upset for some reason, the man takes everything so seriously) but we're in the final again.

Come on Galway!!!!!

GreenHell

I dunno if The Legend (Brian Corcoran) should play I'd like to see him used as an impact sub, Neil Ronan looks very sharpe and looks hungry as well. It was his subsitution that allowed Deano that bit more space. Of course this totally depends on who we are playing in the finals, an older Kilkenny team might better suite Corcoran.

solice

True...

But Allen must not wait as long as he did to take corcoran off if he is having a bad game. He waited too long on Sunday and it came to within a point of costing us a place in the final. Too close for my liking. Im glad to see that Allen was man enough to make that decision but he shouldnt have waited so long.

hada

ClareBear wrote:

I felt very sorry for Clare (except Davy Fitz...who I just love to see upset for some reason, the man takes everything so seriously) QUOTE]

Of course he takes hurling so seriously, it's his life. I don't think Clare have ever see a man of his commitment nor passion in GAA terms - the man is a purely and soley motivated by hurling and the desire to be the best. He eats, sleeps and drinks hurling.

Davy's actions after the game showed what the rest of the team felt - absolute sickness. Cork did not deserve to win the game, and frankly, do not deserve to win any all-ireland this year (and you're quite bluntly kidding yourself if you believe that they're playing like all-ireland champions at the moment).

Going back to davy's actions at the end of the game..I suppose he could have just acted like a proper gombín and knocked the flag out of the lines man's hand out of nothing but sheer muppetery... But in fairness, what kind of hurler would resort to that?

You tell me.

ClareBear

hada wrote:

ClareBear wrote:

I felt very sorry for Clare (except Davy Fitz...who I just love to see upset for some reason, the man takes everything so seriously) QUOTE]

Of course he takes hurling so seriously, it's his life. I don't think Clare have ever see a man of his commitment nor passion in GAA terms - the man is a purely and soley motivated by hurling and the desire to be the best. He eats, sleeps and drinks hurling.

Davy's actions after the game showed what the rest of the team felt - absolute sickness. Cork did not deserve to win the game, and frankly, do not deserve to win any all-ireland this year (and you're quite bluntly kidding yourself if you believe that they're playing like all-ireland champions at the moment).

Going back to davy's actions at the end of the game..I suppose he could have just acted like a proper gombín and knocked the flag out of the lines man's hand out of nothing but sheer muppetery... But in fairness, what kind of hurler would resort to that?

You tell me.

Not related to Davy by any chance are we??

He's committed, I'll give him that much. But take defeat like a man instead of throwing a hissy fit.

Cork had a brutal game, they're not playing at their best by a long shot. And if they play that way in the final then goodbye to any chance we have of winning it.

But we won the Clare match. End of.

lukin

ClareBear wrote:

hada wrote:

Not related to Davy by any chance are we??

He's committed, I'll give him that much. But take defeat like a man instead of throwing a hissy fit.

Cork had a brutal game, they're not playing at their best by a long shot. And if they play that way in the final then goodbye to any chance we have of winning it.

But we won the Clare match. End of.

Agreed. Instead of saying "Cork are are not playing like All-Ireland Champions" you could just as easily say "They showed why they are champions".
With their backs to the wall, not playing well, and facing fired-up opponents, they showed tremendous character to win a match they had no right to.
They reminded me of the Meath team of the late '80's, early '90's:just didn't know when they were beaten.

kollegeknight

davy is a legend. he had a right to be upset, i know i would. e's the type of goalie that deserves more to his name. brian lohan played a stormer altogether. fair play to cork. dickie murphy reffed the match well i think. good to see him back. no doubt he's the best ref around. im a clare fan but id like to see sean og lift liam. subtitles would prob be needed though, my irish aint the best at the moment. daly should get another yr or two managing.

jank

hada wrote:

ClareBear wrote:

I felt very sorry for Clare (except Davy Fitz...who I just love to see upset for some reason, the man takes everything so seriously) QUOTE]

Of course he takes hurling so seriously, it's his life. I don't think Clare have ever see a man of his commitment nor passion in GAA terms - the man is a purely and soley motivated by hurling and the desire to be the best. He eats, sleeps and drinks hurling.

Davy's actions after the game showed what the rest of the team felt - absolute sickness. Cork did not deserve to win the game, and frankly, do not deserve to win any all-ireland this year (and you're quite bluntly kidding yourself if you believe that they're playing like all-ireland champions at the moment).

Going back to davy's actions at the end of the game..I suppose he could have just acted like a proper gombín and knocked the flag out of the lines man's hand out of nothing but sheer muppetery... But in fairness, what kind of hurler would resort to that?

You tell me.

As put best in todays examanier "Champions die hard!"

hawker

As a neutral I say well done to both teams for a great match on Sunday. The better team did lose on the day but you'd have to admire Cork for the way they came back. I'm inclined to think that Clare ran out of steam more than Cork upping the pace. I think the Rebels might be getting a bit carried away with John Allen's decisions to change Corcoran and Curran. However i believe that the winner of this years All Ireland will come from the Kilkenny/Galway semi final. Cork have been living on the edge all year and their luck is bound to run out.

Davy Fitz is another passionate hurler who deserves great credit for entertaining the crowds with his brilliant saves and erratic antics. I cannot understand people who slag hurlers like him just because he loves the game. If Cork or Kilkenny or any other country had hurlers as passionate as Fitzy they might have a couple more All-irelands. He's deffo the best hurling goalkeeper of my generation.

GreenHell

Ya see I'd disagree with that. I think the switches Cork made where hugely important and I hope they stick with them. Gardiner has to stay at centre back he won everything that came his way and he can score anywhere on the 70 when he gets the space. Wayne Sherlock is one of the best defenders in the country glad to see him come on and have a good game. Neil Ronan destroyed Lohan. Corcoran should never have been on him if they wanted to create space in front of goals.

All credit to Clare for putting up a titanic fight but when Cork got the tactics right they ran through them. We should have finished with a higher score.

Culchie

Great game between Champions of Cork who showed their mettle and character, and the proud and honest warriors of Clare, who always give 110% for their county.

Great day for Hurling, would have thought a draw would have been a fair result.

solice

Culchie wrote:

Great game between Champions of Cork who showed their mettle and character, and the proud and honest warriors of Clare, who always give 110% for their county.

Great day for Hurling, would have thought a draw would have been a fair result.

and everyone in the stadium would have had a heart attack if it was a draw. it was tense

Great Baldini

Culchie wrote:
"Great game between Champions of Cork who showed their mettle and character, and the proud and honest warriors of Clare, who always give 110% for their county."

I couldn't have put that better Culchie.

As a Clareman I was HUGELY proud of the Clare team on Sunday.
Both teams can be credited for their sportsmanship and positive attitudes.

Well done and best of luck to Cork in the final.

Come On The Banner !

lukin

kollegeknight wrote:

davy is a legend. he had a right to be upset, i know i would. e's the type of goalie that deserves more to his name. brian lohan played a stormer altogether. fair play to cork. dickie murphy reffed the match well i think. good to see him back. no doubt he's the best ref around. im a clare fan but id like to see sean og lift liam. subtitles would prob be needed though, my irish aint the best at the moment. daly should get another yr or two managing.

Apparently the muppet Fitzgerald was upset because the ref didn't give a free to Colin Lynch near the end when he put the ball wide while being challenged (fairly) by two Cork players. Funnily enough I didn't hear Lynch complain about it all, probably because he's not the type to complain after a game and just let's his hurling do the talking (I wish the same could be said for Davy).
Totally agree with you about Lohan, the man is a colossus, he really rolled back the years on Sunday. The Battle Of The Brian's was definitley won by him.
Thanks for your generous remarks on Sean Og.

River Allow

Greenhill, dont agree with starting Neil Ronan, look at what he did the last day when he came on, the man won the match for us. Beind a stones throw away from Ballyhea, Ive watched him closely through club championship and intercounty. He will always play better when his temper is up. If he doesnt start the next day, he'll be all fired up. Start with Corcoran. One of the forwards is surely going to have an off day, bring on Neil and we're away.

Flukey

That was some performance from Galway today, and indeed Kilkenny. It is not going to be easy for Cork on September 11th.

jank

Nobody is saying its going to be easy. But Cork have the expereince, the skill, physicality and the open style of hurling from galway will very much suit the Cork team.

The smart money is on Cork and Paddy Power have them as clear favourites already.

Cork 8 - 13
Draw 17 - 2
Galway 6 - 4

Flukey

Jank, Kilkenny were 1/3 today, but they still lost. They threw everything they had at Galway, and they have a lot, but they still lost. Galway have passion and confidence and character now. That counts for a lot and makes a team harder to beat. With Tipperary and Kilkenny both accounted for, they'll not fear Cork. Cork have confidence, character and passion too, so it will be an interesting final. So never mind the odds, it's on the pitch that the game is won or lost.

Geg124

cork v galway final. hope galway play like they did 2day so it will b a good match. if galway dont play like dat cork will beat them easy. so for the sake of everyone who wants 2 see a good game of hurling galway better play like they did 2day

everyone pray they do